Multidisk phonograph



H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHONOGRAPH Jan. 5 1926.

Filed Oct. 7, 1921 l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR YS Jan. 5, 1926. 1,568,130

H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHONOGRAPH Filed Oct. '7, 1921 l0 $heetS'-Sheet 5 BY ATToRN'Zg `Ian. 5 1926.

1,568,130 H. BLAcKwELL MULTIDI SK PHONOGRAPH Filed Oct. '7, 1921 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR H. .B/ac/'Ewe/f.

l ATToRNs Jan. 5 1926. 1,568,130 H. BLAcKwELL MULTIDI SK PHONOGRAPH Filed Oct. 7, 1921 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR H. .B/adwe/f.

` t BY ATTORN s Jan. 5 1926.

H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHQNOGRABH Filed oct. v, 1921 1o sheets-sheets |NvENToR lackwe/ #j BY l ATTORNE i Jan. 5 1926.

H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHONOGRAPH Filed Oct. '7, 1921 l0 Sheets-Sheet '7 V BY A 77 ATTORNE 1,568,130 H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHONOGRAPl- Filed Oct. '7, 1921 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. 5 1926.

ATTORNE Jan. 5,1926. A. Y 1;5s8,13o

H. BLACKWELL MULTIDISK PHONOGRAPI Filed Oct. '7, 1921 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 iNvENToR /LB/acwe/l.

Jan. 5 1926.

H. BLAcKw'ELL MULTIDI SK PHONOGRAPH '7, 1921 l0 Sheets-Sheetlo Filed OCC.

INVENTOR .B/ac/Ewe/ ATTORN S HULTIDISK PHONOGBAPH.

Application led October 7, 1 981. Serial No. 505,998.

To all whom, it may aannam:

Be .it known that lyHowAim BLACKWELL, a citizen of the'llnited States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have inrented'a new and Improved Multidisk 'Plionograph, ,of which the following is a specification.' y This invention relates Ato im rovements in self-operating sound repro ucing machines, graphophones, of the type wherein provision is made for playing, in succession, a plurality of records automatic-ally,A that is,4-without the need of any action on thepart of the o erator, and primarily my said invention see s to provide certain improvements in machines of this ty e, whose operating parts are so design and cooperatively combined, to theend, that the-mechanism is simplified and is rendered of a relatively economical construction; in which those parts, other than are usually present in the modern types of machines of the character stated, are so compactly assembled that the space occupied b my improved machine is not appreciab y greater than` Kconventional type of" occupied by the graphophone.

Another object -of my invention is to provide an improved sound reproducing machine o the character described, having a simple and positively operating( means for sustaining a stack of-record dis s, ple adjustable devices for'rendering the operating mechanism incondition Vfor playing record disksvof either ten inch or twelve inch sizes and `in` which simple and improved means are provided whereby to set the mechanism for replayingany record.

With other objects in v1ew,'that will hereinafter bestated and understood as the reading of the following description progresses, my inventionv embodies generally in a machine of the character stated, ,an improved means for automatically setting into action mechanism that governs the operation ofcertain multi-disk records sup rting ineenanism and adapted for releasing one of the said records, at a time, to permit it to assume a position for being engaged by the reproducing needle, as the tone arm is re` set to bring said needle into engagement with the outermost or entrant end of the` tone ve of the said released and positione disk record.

In its more complete nature, my invention includes means for adjusting the autoand simmatic return lof the tone arm to the position ofcommencement of the record disk groove,- to theend that the limit of such outward movement is regulated, accordingly as to whether 12 inch'or 10 inch diameter records sliallbe played. i 4

In itsinore .subordinate nature, m invention resides in the embodiment 'o certainfeatures of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be fully understood from the followin detailed- Aexplanation thercof,. as specifically* set-out infthe appended-claims and as illustrated' in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig1r`e-1 is a`top plan view of my 'construction 'of multi-disk phonograph, parts of the-upper and lower supporting framing plates, portions of the tone arm and the -'xt ojviumi amicxwiim., or' YoNGsrowN, omo.

arm-being positioned at the finish ofthe' record groove and when itsneedle is about to* approach the suplemental curved grooves on the records for the ra id inishing oi theinward movement o tone arm.

Figure 2 is -a the tone armv Abeing near its outermost position, with its attached or supplemental member moved Vinto engagement with the crank lever devicesV that control the record changing mechanism, the other shiftable and cooperating parts being shown in their relatively changed positions.

Fi re 3 is a front side elevation of my multi-disk shown positioned as t ey appear on Figure ,1, sportions of vthe main frame, the record di pack being' table, and the record disk shown partly in section.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of my multidisk phonograph,- the parts being in "the -position shown in Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow a on Figure 1. Figure 5 is a similar view ofmy constructionof phonograph, the parts being shown positioned as in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section of the -view similar to Figure 1,

the said honogra h, the parts being.

main operating cam, its attached parts and other cooperating portions hereinafter specifically mentioned.

Figure 7 'is a detail perspective view-of the cam disk member shown in Figure 6. Figure 8' is a horizontal section of the records storage member taken substantially "-on the line 8-8 on Figure 9, a Portin of the records stack being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 9 is a detail vertical section of the same and the turntable, the parts being shown operatively ositioned as 1n Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a etail horizontal section, similar to Figure 8, the arts being shown in the lowermost recor releasing position with the slide dogs extended for supporting the rest of the record pack.

Figure 1l is a view similar to Figure 9, the parts being positioned as in Figure 10.

F igure 12 is a detail fragmentary section that illustrates the position that the mechanism assumes, in order to permit of the ready removal of the record pack after the same has been played.

Figures 13 and 14 designate side elevations of closure caps for the threaded socket in the recordl turntable, when the record storage or holder member is removed and the machine is adjusted for playing a single record disk, as ordinarily.

Figure 15 is a detail diagrammatic plan view, which illustrates the manner in which the parts are adjusted for throwing out of operation the records dropping mechanism.

Figure 16 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the parts are adjusted for throwing out of operation the disk arm controlling mechanism.

Figure 17 is a detail plan view illustrating the adjustments of the adjustable arm pusher rod, and Figure 18 is a somewhat iagrammatic plan view illustrating the various movements of the tone arm.

As the operation of the multi-disk holdin and releasing mechanism, hereinafter referred to, is automatically controlled by the movement of the tone arm as it receives a final or quick impetus at the finish of playing of the record, and through such movement it sets into action the various devices that cooperate with the record disk holding mechanism 'and the means that, at predetermined times, operate to release the next one of the stack of records to be played, I shall begin the ldescri tion of the structural parts that constitute tiie essentials of my improvements, by referring first to the tone arm,

since the main mechanism of the talking machine differs from the conventional types of graphophones only in suchl details that will be pointed out in the specifications following.

The machine may bebuilt for an num-- `ber of records but in the present showing of my invention a ten record machine is shown.

Assuming that the machine is adapted to play 10 inch records, the tone arm 62 is swung out so/it clears all of the records. The pack of records is. placed upon what is hereinafter termed the record storage 42, and a small knob 46, hereinafter further referred to, is ulled upwardly for dropping one record ldisk on the rotatable record table 77. (See Fig. 3.) l

47 designates an adjustable rod that is longitudinally movable through a casing 48, the said rod having a shoulder flange 47 (sec Figure 1) which is engaged by a coil spring 53, within the casing, that tends to normally force the rod 47 outwardly, in the direction of the arrow as. A handle 5() projects laterally from the casing 48 and it is adapted for being swung into the notch 19 of the to plate 82 of the framing to the under si e of which the casing is supported. by bearings 49-49", as is clearly indicated in Figures 1, 4 and 5, in which bearings the casing 48 has endwise movement in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter explained.

When the handle 50 is adjusted in the notch 19, it corresponds to the position required for playing a 10 inch record. 51-52 designate other notches in the plate 82 for receiving the handle 50, the one 5l corresponding to the -position required for adjusting the mechanism for playing a 12 inch record. The purpose of the other notch or slot 52 will be hereinafter explained. 4

Assuming now the first record has been played to the final groove line 80 of the disk; when at this position, the reproducing needle is brought rapidly by the spiral groove on the record, to a groove line 79, see Figure 1, which line is of the same diameter on all records, whether 10 inch or 12 inch. In Figure 1, the tone arm is shown positioned so its needle is on the spiral groove 78 in the disk and is about to approach the other line 79. It should be here mentioned that when the needle is at the point stated, the record table 77 is operating at a speed of approximately 78 revolutions per minute, in /a clockwise direction. Another shaft 3, hereinafter. termed a driving shaft, since it is the shaft that imparts motion to the main operating cam and other sub-mechanisms hereinafter specifically mentioned,

terminates at the upper end in a threaded portion upon which is received a collar 4,

vand said .shaft 3 with the collar 4 is caused ascenso 1, as shown. Roller 6` isheld under tension to the position shown in Figure 1 by a spring holder 9 that .is fastened to a post 11 on the frame plate 83.

A flat plate spring 5 1s fastened at onev end to the cam 1, (see Figures 1, 6 and 7) yns with a downward tension on the spring. To this spring' is riveted a small detent block 12, a part of which, at all times, extends downwardly into a' notch 20 in the top surface of the cam bearingr 2, (see Figure 6).' Block 12 is held up so that half of its under edge is just clear of the slowly revolving collar 4, by a spring snap 14 which engages j a slot 14 in the outer free end of the spring 5, as is shown in detail in Figure 7.

A long horizontally disposed rod 24, that is located in a plane just'above the cam 1, extends to the front of the machine and passes through a small guide bearing 72 pendent from the top frame plate'82, as is shown in Figure 3, and from the said bearing 72 inward the rod is more or less flexible for reasons presently to be understood. The inner end of the said rod 24 has an angled portion 24 which engages a pin 8 pendent from an arm 7 that is fastened to and moves with the vertical portion of the tone arm 62, the latter being joined at 63 to swing in the vertical plane and is vertically balanced by a counterweight v62. The vertical portion of the tone arm is jointed at and swings horizontally around a bearing 64 that is firmly held in place on the front plate 82 by a `ring clamp 17 that is screwed on the said frame plate 82, as shown.

Assuming the tone arm to be moving horizontally inward, as the reproducing needle approaches the innermost groove 79 in' therecord, it carries with it the arm 7 in like inward direction, and as the said arm 7 approaches the limit of its inward -move ment, its pendent pin 8 presses against the angled or head portion 24 of the arm 24 which, being flexible, as `before stated, perl mits its pressure to be'transmitted to the spring snap 14, to disengage it from the spring 5, see Figure6. As the spring snap 14 is itself released from the spring 5, the tension of the said spring 5- forces the detent block 12 down until the higher half thereof rests upon the moving collar 4 and as soon as the 'notch 13 of the said collar comes around in register with the block 1'2, the tension of the spring 5 presses the high portion of the detent block 412.into the said notch 13,V and thereby causes cam 1 to move with the collar, in clockwise direction.v

The parts being in the position shown in Figure' 1, as soon as the cam l begins to rotate, a roller 54 on -a rod 55 beginsv to move out from the cam portion 1 and'this movement of the roller v54, through the rod 55, is transmitted to a crank arm 56 that is pinned to a short horizontal shaft 56 journaled in a bearing 57 secured to the undersideof the frame plate 83. Y

58 designatesanother vcrank varm pinned on the outer or frontend of the shaft 56, as is clearly shown in Figure 3, from which it' will be readily ap arent that as movement is imparted to t e rod 55, (see arrow the said movement is transmitted to the shaft 56 to cause it to rock the crank arm 57 and thereby transmit motion through a 75 rod 59 that passes up through a tubular guide 60 and connects with a table 59 located above the plate 82 and upon which normally rests a leg or post 61 attached to the tone arm 62, as shown. 30 It' should be vhere mentioned that 20 designates a bracket support for the rod 55 and it is attached to the lower frame plate 83,l as is clearly shown in Figure 3.

Referring again tothe roller 5'4, after 85 such roller has reached the o tside diameter 'ofthe cam 1, land the tone arm has been elevated to a point as before stated, a roller pin 45 onv the said cam 1 begins to Contact with the arm 7, moving it and the tone arm in horizontal direction around the bearing 64 and the joint 65 slowly towards the outer edge of the record, it being understood theleg or ost 61 on the tone arm slides along the li ting table 59 during such 95 movement. A projection 46 on the arm 7 during vthe outward swing of such arm, as stated, engages the outer end of a spring return pusher rod 47 that has a collar 47 located within the spring barrel or casing 48, positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and attached to the underside of the top plate 82, as is best shown in Figure 3. Collar 47 compresses the spring 53..within the casing 48, as the arm 7 continues to 105 move towards it.

As thearm 7 continues to move and about reaches the limit of its outward swingv (see`F Figure 2) the outer end of the said arm 'presses against the upwardly projected arm 110 of Aa bell crank lever 66that is fulcrumed' in a suitable bearing 15 on the underside ofthe frame 83 (see Figure 4) the lsaid upwardly projected crank arm bein extended in'the -path of movement o the 115 arm 7 and works through a slot 83a in the plate 83. The horizontal arm 66b of the crank'lever 66 transmits movement, at predetermined times, to mechanism that operates to allow a singlerecord to drop from the record storage 42A to the turntable 77 in a manner which will be more fully described later. The drop ing of the single record is,v however,` so tlmed that it will occur when the tone arm 62 is clear of the 125 path of a 12 inch record; l 4

As the cam 1 continues 'to revolve past the'point of extreme travel of the arm 7, the spring 53 forces the "rod 47 outwardly against the projection 46 on the said arm 130 ing against the end of the casing and thereby allows this spring 53, through the rod 47, to push back the arm 7 and the tone arm 62 no further than the point mentioned, at which point the rod will be held until the cycle of movement of the parts is completed.

As the cam 1 continues to revolve, the roller 54 again moves toward the center .of the cam allowing the tone arm 62 to deposit the needle on the record on the table l77 in the manner described before.

In the mean time, the end of the spring 5, projecting beyond the cam 1, see Figures 1 and 6, Acomes into contact with a vertical cam guide 18, and being thereby slowly raised, withdraws the detent or block 12 from engagement with the continuously rotating collar 4. The contour of the guide 18 is such that the block 12 is withdrawn from thenotch 13 at the same time that the roller 6 is being pressed toward the center of the cam 1 by its tension spring or holder 9.

The cam, action, just mentioned, is effected by the upright cam portion l hav- (ing just passed beyond the roller 6 which latter has now assumed the position shown in Figure 1, by reference to which it will be apparent that as soon as the cam por tion la comes into operative position, relatively to the roller 6, the inward pressure of such roller 6 will continue to rotate-the cam to the position above mentioned and indicated in Figure 1. The cam 1 being unloaded at this part of the cycle, it moves comparatively freely.

As the roller continues to rotate the cam 1 toward the position shown in Figure l of the'drawings, the guide 18 fur-ther raises the spring 5 until the block 12 is entirely free of the collar 4 and the spring detent 14 snaps into place, thereby holding the springv 5 in its position; the outer end of the spring 5 belng free of the guide 18. The cycle is noi complete and when the lneedle again re ches line 79 such cycle is repeated for the next record.

As the cam 1 reaches, and carries the tone arm 62 and` the arm 7 to the position to approximately that shown in Fi ure 2, the said arm 7 will have engaged t e bell crank lever 66 and brought such lever to the position shown` in Figure 5. Motion a stop 17 and the said of the lever 66 is transmitted downwardly through the member 67 (see arrow w on Figure 5) to a rocking beam 68 which,jin turn, presses against the bottom of an upright rod 43 and pushes such rod 43 upward. The beam 68 is held lightly in the position shown in Figure 4 by a spring 70 and beam 68 is lightly that it has a slight as shown in Figure 15, and for the reason presently to be explained. It should be here stated that when the tone arm 62 and the arm 7 have reached the poheld on its fulcrum 85 so amount of side play,

sition indicated in Figure 2, the pusher roller 45 now ceasing its function of ushlng the arm 7 outward, the said arm and the tone arm 62 are again moved inwardly toward the center of the record by the spring tension pusher rod 47 until the tone arm 62 reaches its initial or tone groove engaglng positlon, diagrammatically indicated by the midway dotted position shown 1n Figure 18, it being understood that as the tone arm 62 returns to its starting position, 1t now having reached the point corresponding to the starting line on the record, by having been pushed back by the spring plunger 47, the said arms 62 and 7 have no further movement until thev tone grooves of the newly played record disk carries the tone arm towards the center of the said record.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the shaft 74 driving the table 77 is hollow, allowing rod 43 to pass throu h it and through the table 77 to the top o the record storage 42. The record storage 42, the detail construction of which is best shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, includes a series of horizontally disposed slidable detents 27 and a like number of dogs 34. In the construction shown there are three slides or detents 27 and three dogs 34. The several detents 27 and dogs 34 are located at relatively 120.

The records, designated r, used in connection with my invention, have a large hole r', in the center and have the inside edge of such hole bevelled, as shown.

The record storage or cylinder 42 is fastened to the table 77 by any convenient means. In this case, a thread connectionV is shown, so that the record storage 42, and the records supported thereon, revolve with the table 77.

The members 27 and 34, before referred to, are mounted'within the record Storage body 42, on a disk 41 that is fastened, by riveting or machine screws, to the inner wall of the said storage body, as shown.

Each member 27 has' longitudinallyelongated slots 27, and the several members are slidably held on the disk 41 by rivets 28- 28". The members 27 also have stud pins 30 awhich-miu rin-'5.431 laid-B 551g sp g p 34 of the dogs.'34 by coil spi-in 36, and

'when thus held the catches hol the dogs locked with their outer bevelled ends 345 projected through the, vertically elon ated slots 42 inthe sides of the storage bo y 42,

-asshown. o .o

Splrin s 33' fastened to pins 32 adjusted so t ey` ave no further movement lu ward thanindicated in Figure 3, tend to s ightly resist-any downward movement of the dogs 34. The slide detente 27 and". dogs 34 constructed in the manner described, beingpo- ,sitioned asin 'Figure'3,' as the rod 43 is moved upwards, it begins to compress vthe spring 39 throu h the washer 38, held in place on the r by a' pin'37. As the rod rises the tapered head43 thereof first en gages the slide detents 27 and pushes them out throughl corresponding slots 42 in the fall down, tliereb j body 42 until their tapered outer ends pass between the lbottom and next to theebottom record. v v f The upward movement of the rod 43 continues until he slidablemembers are moved out to their limit, at which position, they support the weight of .the superimposed records.

An annular projection 44 on rod 43, asV

the said rod is moved up, as stated, then presses VAagainst `the catches 35, releasing them from .locked engagement with the dogs 34, and as the weight of the bottom'record thenV overcomes the slight tension of the springs 33', allowsI the ogs 34 to swing or .releasin the bottom record which then alls 'to tab e 77 where its impact is.cushioned `by the air, it being unn4 the dropping of the botsprin 33. l

After thebottomrecordhas been droppe'd, as stated, and the up movement ofthe rod 43 ceases,.tlre"sp'ring 39 pressesrod 43 .downward as the arm 7 moves back toward the center of the cam 1. As the annular projection .44 on the rod head 43 moves downward, the springs 36 force the latches 35 b'ack into engagement with andlock the dogs 34, and as the rod 43 is forced still furltherl lidown, the slidable members 27 are pushed inwardly-bysprings 31 v1intil they. again'assume tlie'positio'n shown in Figure I3 of th'efdrawings., This allows the remain-l ing records in the stack to drop down onto the dogs 3 4 when the cycle of movement is completed.

After finishing playing the records, and

wound springis in icate they have .all dropped lfrom the record storage 42 to. table 7 to remove the same, the tone arm 62 ismoved to the clear, and the records pulled-off over the'storage 42. This 1s possible owing tothe fact that the slides ,27 are in the position shown in Figure 3 and .the dogs 34 have afreeupward movement.

The foregoi description covers the operation for 10 inc recor s. For 12 inch reco rd's, the handle 50 is moved to a vertical position," slid back and pushed into the next notch 5 1, the latter adjustment of the member 50 providing for pushing. the tone -arm 62back, .corresponding to the vstarting point of a 12 Ainch record. `If during the operaany record, therod 7l,` fastened to-the beam 68, see Figure 3, is pulled slightly to the -tion of the machine, it is desired to repeat left, see arrow 71, on Figure 1. This shifts" Ath'e front end ofthe beam 68 laterally until it will not engage the vrod 43. The lateral.

play of the beam 68. at its fulcrum point, as

efore described, makes is possible to Amove the beam 68- away from contacting with rod 43-as stated. To continue pla ing new records, the rod 71 is pushed bac towards the ri lit to the position shown in Figure 1.

`f it isdesired to eliminate the automatic features of the machine and to play it as an ordinary phonograph, .the record stora e is unfastened from the .table 77 and it an the rod' 43 are moved intact and the capplates Figures 13 and'14 are substituted, dependin upon the character ofthe hole in the recor is is desired to play, and at the same time, the rodv 24 is moved in the direction of arrow t. (see Figure 16) `until its angled end 24l clearspin 8 on the arm 7. In this position, the .spring snap 14 will not be.A tripped and'cam 1 will remain in the position shown in the said Figure 1.

v The adjusting member or handle 50 is then-moved back to engage the notch 52 which brings rod 47 back 'so far that the lug 46 on arm 7 will not touch it.

The above described/mechanism is applicable to phonograph operating -mechanism` o'f any description, either-spring wound, by

4operating cam 1. In the lpresent showing of my invention a ver simple type of hand it being understood that the specific means for operating my machine constitute no'partof my invention.

Having` thus .described thel detailed coni struction of my im roved honograph mechanism and` nera y outlined vthe operative relation of t e so-acting parts that constitute suchmeclianism, a detailed description of. a

cally actuatedl mechanism is sta-ted as follows:

complete cycle of operation of my automatii Referring to the dot and dash position shown inthe diagrammatic figure, Figure 18, and the full line position shown in Figure 1, the needlel N beingnow at the finish of the last tene groove 80 of the record played, or ready to enter the spiral or uick acting groove 7S on the record, carries t 1e tone arm 62 and the arm 7 towards the center of the record, such inal movement of the arms 62 and 7 being of importance since such movement thereof operatesY to release the spring 5 from the catch 14 and thereby start the movement of cam 1 such result being brought aboutin the following manner:

At the iinal forward swing of the arm 7 which occurs when the tone arm needle N reaches the innermost groove 79, the stud '8 on thc said arm 7 has engaed the inturned member 24"*on the springyend of the arm 24 and moved the snap 14 back to permit the tension of the spring 5 to press the detent on locking member l2 down against the top face of thelcollar 4 ready for moving down into the notch 1B when? the latter comes around under the said member 12. The cam 1 being thus locked to Ythe slowly moving collar 4 by the member i2 moving into the notch 13, begins to revolve slowly.

Assuming thecam 1 to be revolving slowly as just stated, the next step in theV complete cycle of movements of the mechanism takes place, that of moving the tone arm and its attached member 7 from the innermost position where it wascarried by the quick acting spiral to the outermost positionj shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and in the full line position Yof the tone arni`62 with the needle YN swung out clear of the records as shown in Figi-18. i i' As the cam 1 slowly moves around, the cam face 1 acts on the roller 54 which pushes the rod 55 back and through such rod movement transmits action to the devices 56, 58, 59, 59, 61 for elevating the tone arm from the position shown in Fig. 4 to lift the nneedle sufliciently tofclear the entire stackof records, when played.

Immediately after the tone arm has been lifted so its needle N is held above the disk or disks played, the roller pin 45 engages the member 7 and swings it, with the tone arm, slowly to the outermost position shown in Figs. 18, 5 and 2 and during this movement of the parts stated, tension is being applied to the pusher rod 47 by reason of the projection 46 on the arm 7 pushing the said rod back to the position shown in Fig. 2, near which positionV the operation of depositing a newV disk record into position, and onto the disk last layed takes place, the impact of the deposited disk being aircushioned as before mentioned.

The operation of releasing and depositing another disk record begins to take place just before the roller pin 45 reaches the position shown in Figure 2, at which time the arm 7 engages the bell crank 66 and through the transmitting members 67 and 68 has automatically lifted the rod 43 and through the upward movement'of such rod actuated the record disk releasing and sustaining mechanism shown in-detail Figs. 10, 11 and 12 and releases the lowermost one of the pack of records 1' as shown in Fig.V 1l.

When the depositing of a new record disk to be'play'cd has been effected the cam l is in the position shown in Fig. 2. ALs the cam continues to revolv in the direction of the arrow the roller pin 45 tends to move away from arm 7. However rod 47 under its spring tension, and by reason o'f such rod engaging the projection 46 on the arm 7, causes the said arm 7 andthe tone arm 62 to which it is attached to slowly move inwardly foHoWing the movement of the roller pin 45 until Athearms 7 and 62 reach the starting or midway position indicated by the midway dotted position of the tone arm 62 on Fig. 18, which brings the needle N i at a point directly above the outermost or starting tone groove 81 in the record disk as shown. In this case Asince handle 50 has been placed in slot 19 this pointY corresponds to the starting line for a 10 record, t e iange 47 on the rod 47 limitin the out- Ward thrust of the rod 47 and there y bringing the tone arm to the midway position before mentioned. i

In the meantime, the movement of `the4 arm 7 just described, towards the center of the cam 1 from the position'shown in Fig. 2 has also caused the bell crank 66 to be returned from-its position 'shown inFig. 5'to its original position shown in Fig. 4, allowing the rod 43 hence the record holding and releasing mechanism, to return to the original position shown in 9 and described in detail. Y

The tone armY 62 thus being returned, that is, swung inwardly to the position last mentioned, further movement of the cam 1 has no more effect on the sidewise inovement of the tone arm 62 and the arm 7, the roller pin 45 'moving away from the arm 7. As soonjas theftone arm`has reached this position the beginning of theV cam face 1b comes into position for being engaged by the roller 54 which then begins to move slowly in the inward direction towards the center of cam'. As the roller pin 45 now recedes' from contacting with arm: 7, theY engages-wit the said-groove 81,'it being 4understood that as the pack of played disks on the table 77 increases in height'the tone arm lowers only suilicient to bring the needle N into the tone roove. 8 1, as the drop of the table 59 and 51e rod 59 continue to the limit of their downward movement.

During the step in the cycle just mentioned another motion has., been started namely, the unlocking of ,the cam. 1 from theslowly moving collar 4 brought about inthe following manner:

The end of spring 5 that turns with the cam during its motionl with the collar' 4 continuing to revolve from the position shown in Fig. 2 Jin the direction of the arrow, engages a ixedly held ca'in`18, and Trising up the incline of such cam its locking block 12 is lifted out of the notch `13 thus disconnecting the cam 1 from the continuously moving collar 4\ the notch 13.now moving forwardly away from locking block 12. At the time the splring 5 is thus lifted to release the cam 1, t e cam portion 1 of said cam has approached a position just ready for being engaged by the spring pressed roller 6, the atter, as cam portion l comes into position, exciting a supplemented rotative motion to the cam 1 suili cient to quickly cause the end of the 'spring 5 to complete its travel up the incline of the cam 18, -and to pass over the `inner end thereof. Before passing over vthe end of the cam 18 however, the spring has been raised to such a height that the spring snap 14 has snap ed into position shown in Figures 6 an 7 holding the spring 5 and the locking b1ock12 free from the moving collar 4. .The cam is now in the position as shown in Fig. 1 being held there by roller 6 until the tone grooves of the record carry tone arm 62 and arm 7 to line 79 when cycle is repeated for the next record.

From the foregoing description, taken vin connection with the drawing, it is believed the detailed construction of the diierent elements that constitute my automatically operative phonograph mechanism, themanner inwliich the different sub-mechanisms co-act and successively come into action during each cycle of movement of the saidmechanisin, will be readilyiinderstood by those skilled in the art to which my said invention relates( To start the machine, the first record disk of a pack of disks placed in the position on the record storage, and which are held in the elevated positionby the detents 3 7 and 27, is released by manipulating the rod 43 by hand, that is, by pulling up the knob 40 against the tension of its surrounding spring 39, to effect the release adjustment of the members 27 and-34, and thereby deposit the iirstor innermost one of the pack of the disks. After that has been done, each move( ment following the said initial starting, that is-the operation of playing the disks, one after the other, untilfall have been transferred from the topor initial osition onto the disk 77, is automatically e ected. To repeat the playing of any of the record disks lastl deposited into playin position, it is only' necessary to pull the rod 70 to the left to disconnect the lever 68 and the rod 43, as before noted.

To eliminate the automatic feature of my invention, remove the record storage 42, -pu1lthe handle 24l to the left, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 16, move the handle 50 into the slot 52 and substitute a cap plate 13 or 14 on the table in place of the storage 4-2, when the machine may be played as an ordinary talking machine.

The detailed arrangementl of parts, herein described and specifically illustrated in the drawings, presents a practical means'for accomplishing the operationof playing a stack of disk records, 011ek after the other, without stoppingl the machine; by which the supplying of the new disks, and proper adjustment of the tone arm, are effected to -move the aforesaid tone arm out of the way during the mechanical placing of a new record lin position lto be played, and for likewise returning such tone arm and placing its reproducing needle inthe proper tone roove to begin the playing of the new recor It is to vbe understood that the details of 'construction may be varied considerably andthat it is not my intention to limit my invention to the exact details shown, "as the said details may be varied by changing the arrangement, or the omission of some of the parts, and substituting therefor modified mechanical equivalents,

kor by making such changes that suggest themselvesV in the practical building of the complete mechanism described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

' 1'. The combination with a sound reprolducing machine comprising a rotatable ducing machine comprising a rotatable table for accommodating a disk record, means for .imparting rotation to said table, and a tone arm including a sound reproducer; of

means carried by to rotate with the rotatable table for, supporting an overhead pack of 'nsl disk records -and adapted to be hand actuated for releasing the said pack of disks one at a time to dropinto playing position upon the said rotatable table.

3. The combination with a sound reproducing machine comprising a rotatable table for accommodating a disk record, means for imparting rotation to said table, and a tone arm including a sound reproducer; of means carried by to rotate with the rotatable table and readily removable therefrom for supporting an overhead pack of disk records and for releasing the said pack of disks one at a time to drop into playing position upon the said rotatable table.

4. In a talking machine of the character described in which is included a record carrying turntable and a record storage comprising a cylindrical body mounted upon to rotate with and projected axially from the turntable, and means on the said body for suspending a pack of records in superimposed relation above the said turntable, the said means being adapted at predetermined times through devices actuated by' a moving part of the machine for successively releasing the bottom one of the pack of records.

5. In a sound reproducing machine, the combinationwith a rotatable talking machine record support; of means mounted on said rotatable record support to rotate therewith for supporting a pack of talking machine records in superimposed relation upon and above the rotatable record supporting means, and arranged to constitute rests upon which the pack of records are sustained, and means automatically operating to release the lowermost record of the. pack to permit its dropping onto the record on the rotatable support.

6. In a phono raph, sound reproducing mechanism, whic mechanism includes a laterally and vertically oscillatable tone arm; means for supporting a pack of record disks in superimposed relation upon and above the turntable of the reproducing mechanism to rotate therewith, connections operable during each complete cycle of movements of the said sound reproducing mechanism for releasing the lowermost one of the pack of records to dro such record onto a previously played recor on the turntable. c

7. The combination with a sound reproducing machine comprising a rotatable table for accommodatng a disk record, means for imparting rotation to said table, and a tone arm including a sound reproducer; of means carried by to rotate with the rotatable table for supporting an overhead pack of disk records, means for releasing the said pack of disks one at a time to drop into playing position upon the said rotatable table, and means automatically actuated by movement of the tone arm for causing said operative with the edges surrounding the l apertures of the records of the pack for sustaining the pack in suspension over the turntable, and means for automatically shifting the record sustaining means for dropping the lowermost of the pack of records onto the table or previously played record.

9. The combination with a talking machine including a laterally movable tone arm and a storage for suspending a pack of superimposed record disks above the turntable of the talking machine; of means for releasing the lowermost one of the pack of records to cause it to drop into position for being played, mechanism operated by the tone arm for effecting the release of said record as the said arm passes outwardly and beyond the played record, the said releasing mechanism including a member adapted for being hand manipulated to efect the release of the aforesaid lowermost record.

l0. In a multi-disk phonograph; in combination with the rotating record disk carrier, an axially disposed cylindrical body mounted upon to rotate with and extending vertically from the carrier, a plurality of disk records held in superimposed relation and each having a central aperture whereby the said disks are adapted for being placed A downwardly over to be in slidable engagement with the said cylindrical body, means on the said body for progressively releasing the bottom ones of the pack of disks. and other means controlled by the rotation of the record disk carrier after a placed record has been played for setting into action the disk releasing mechanism whereby to place a new record on top of the record last played. y

11. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with a record holding turntable, of a record storage mounted upon and rotatable with the table, a pack of records held in superimposed relation and each centrally apertured whereby the entire pack may be readily placed over the top of the record storage, means on the storage -and cooperative with the edges surrounding the central apertures of the records for sustaining the pack in suspension over the turntable, and means for automatically shifting the records sustaining means for dropping the lowermost of the pack of records onto the table or previously played record, the

\ sustaining the said member and power transmission devices actuated from a moving part of the machine for effecting the dro plng of a record after the prior record has been pla ed.

l2. 1n a talking machine, t e combination with a record carrying turntable, a record storage mounted upon and movable with the turntable, the said Stora comprising a vertical hollow cylindrica body, a set of detents mounted on the said body for being normally projected radially therefrom and into-engagement with the edges surrounding the central apertures of the pack of records to constitute a primary means for ack of records, another set of detents on tlieV body for being projected radially therefrom and constituting a secondary means for sustaining the remainder of the pack as the lowermost record is released, automatically operated means cooperative with the storage body adapted when actuated for shifting the secondary sustaining means into position for engaging the remainder of said pack of records and for shifting the primary record sustaining means to the record' releasing position, and means adapted to be finger engaged whereby the records releasing means may be manually operated.

13. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the rotatable record support; of a record storage detachably connectable to the rotatable record support to rotate therewith, a pack of records held in superimposed relation upon the storage and above the rotatable table, horizontal spring- `actuated detents that normally project under i 'the pack of records to sustain the said pack of records at an elevated position, horizontal spring-actuated detents that are normally drawn inward from en agement with the said pack of records, an lever and cam devices operating to shift the normally retracted detents into engagement with the bottom one of the pack of records next that one which is to be drop ed from the pack and to release the normali;T projected detents to permit the same to move inwardly out of engagement with therecords to permit the bottom one of the record pack to drop.

14. In a talking machine, fa rotatable record support comprising a centrally disposed vertical cylindrical body and an annular base upon which records are held, a pack of cen* trally apertured record disks held in superimposed relation and slidably movable along the cylindrical body, means mounted on the body for holding the pack of records in suspension on such body and above the annular base, the said means including detents spring-actuated to move under the pack of records in cooperation with the edges surrounding central apertures thereof and con stituting the supports for such pack, other detente normally held within the confines of the cylindrical body, and means for tripping the record sup orting detents to project the slidable ones t ereof' between the lowermost one and the next succeeding one of the record pack and for releasing the lowermost one of the records of the pack whereby to -drop the lowermost record and sustain the ren'iaining ones of the pack as the other detents return to their normal or record supporting position.

l5. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with a rotatable record holder, of means mounted upon the rotatable record holder to turn therewith for sup ortin a pack of records in superimpos relation above the record on the said holder, the said means includin detents normally'projected by spring tension under the pack of records, other detents normally retracted and adapted for being projected under next` to the lowermost one of the pack of records to temporarily support the remainder of the pack of records as the lowermost one of the pack of records is released to drop onto the record on the holder, and lever and cam devices for retracting the normally projected detent to release the lowermost record and forl projecting the other detents for temporarily holding the remaining pack of records, the projecting action taking place before the retracting action.

16. In a talking machine, a rotary record support, a storage receptacle consisting of a hollow cylindrical body that is centrally mounted upon and projected upwardly fromthe rotary record support, and movable with such a support, a series of centrally apertured record disks held in ack form and slidable on to the cylindrical thesaid body for primarily sustaining the pack of records in suspension over- 4 the ro# tary record support, 'a secondary means on the said body adapted for being radially projected between the lowermost pair of records of the pack when the other record supporting means is adjusted for disen aging the records and mechanism actuate at predetermined times through a moving part dy, means on o of the talking machine for setting into acthe pack of records are slidabl held, means for sustaining a pack of recor s placed over and for effecting.Y the release of the pivoted the top of the cylindrical' body, the said means including a pivoted detent spring held to normallyY project' begond the body, a slidable detent normally eld indrawn within the body, the said pivot'ed detent constituting a bottom support for the pack of records mounted on the body, the slidable detent being adapted for being radially pro- 'ected between the lowermost pair of records 1n the pack and means for effecting the outward projection of the slidable detent to sustain the remainder ofthe pack of records detent whereby to release the lowermost one of the pack of records to permit it to slide down the storage body onto the previously played record. Y

18. In a talking machine, Vthe combination with a rotating table on which the rec-- ords are received; of a record storage comprising a hollow cylindrical body axiall mounted upon and rotatable with the tabla,Y a pack of record disks held in superimposed relation, the disks being each centrally apertured whereby they can have vertical movement singly or in pack form along the aforesaid cylindrical body, detentshorizontally sustained within the cylindrical body normally projected radially through the said body to constitute supports for the pack of records, other horizontally sustained detents within the hollow body and normally drawn inwardly within the ncircumferential connes oi'n the hollow body, the latter-having openings through which the several sets of detents are projected., and a cam device including an actuating member projected beyond the ends of the holl low body and adapted for engaging the several sets of detents whereby when shifted in one direction to cause a projecting of the normally indrawndetents-to cause them to sustain all but the lowermost one of the pack of records and effect a release of the other set of detents to permit'the lowermost recordto slide thereover and drop upon the rotating table. i

19. YIn a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, a storage for 'sustaining a pack of centrally apertured records above the rotary record sup- I port, said storage comprising a cylindrical body adapted for being attached to the record.- support to rotate therewith and on which the pack of records are s'lidably held, means 'for sustaining a pack of recerds placed over the top of the cylindrical body, the said means including a pivoted detent spring held to normally project beyond the body, .a slidable detentl normally held indrawn within the body, the said pivoted detent constituting a bottom support for the pack of records? mountedron the body, the slidable detentbeing adapted for being radially projected between the lowermost pair of the storage body when a pack of played i records VYare lifted oi the said storage body. Y

20. In a sound reproducing machine, theY combination with the rotatable record support; of a record storage detachably connectible to the rotatable record support to rotate therewith, a pack of records held in y superimposed relation upon the storage and above the rotatable support, -horizontal spring-actuated detents that normally project under the pack of records to sustain the said Ypack of records at the elevated position, horizontal Yspring-actuated detents that are normally drawn inward from Vengagement with the said pack of records, means operating to force the normally inwardly drawn detents outwardl into engagement with the remainder o the pack of records as the bottom one of the record pack is released'and to release the normally projected detents rst from engagement with.- the said bottom Yone of the pack of records, the said means including a cam device normallyspring vreturned to a position out of engagement with the detents, a pusher member forf'shifting the said cam .into active engagement with the 'detents,

and means operated Yby a moving part of the sound reproducing machine for shifting the said' pusher member at a predetermined time after a record has been played to thereby provide for dropping another record into Ythe position to be played.

der the pack of records and constitute the supportsjfor such pack, other detents normally held within the confines o f the -cylindrical body, and means for tripping the record supporting detents to release the pack and 'for projecting the slidable detent between the lowermost one and the next sucack of centrally apertured record disks 

